DAILY GK 30 JAN 2020

DAILY GK 30 JAN 2020

1.    Indian Navy launched ‘Operation Vanilla’

ü The Indian Navy(IN) launched ‘Operation Vanilla’. The purpose of this operation is to support and provide assistance to Tropical Cyclone Ava & flood-hit Madagascar.  The Indian Navy Ship(INS) Airavat has been deployed to this mission. 

ü The assistance has been provided in consonance with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Security and Growth for all in the Region (SAGAR)’. It is also to be noted that Madagascar is a member of the inter-governmental organisation Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).

2.    10 more wetlands declared as Ramsar sites

ü Ramsar Convention has declared 10 more wetland sites from India as sites of national importance. Ramsar sites are those which are declared under the Ramsar Convention signed in 1971 to preserve wetlands of national importance. Thus India now has a total of 37 Ramsar sites.

3.    World’s largest meditation centre

ü World’s largest meditation centre was inaugurated at Kanha Shanti Vanam in Hyderabad, Telangana to mark the 75th anniversary of the formation of Shri Ram Chandra Mission (SRCM) and Heartfulness Institute. It can accommodate 1 lakh practitioners at a time.

4.    Tyler Prize 2020

ü The Indian environmentalist and Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Pavan Sukhdev won Tyler Prize 2020 for Environmental Achievement for his groundbreaking “green economy” work along with conservation biologist Gretchen C. Daily from United States (US).

5.    India’s Ambassador to US

ü
Diplomat Taranjit Singh Sandhu has been appointed as India’s Ambassador to the United States of America (USA). He succeeded Harsh Vardhan Shringla who will take charge as the next foreign secretary.

6.    New PM of Qatar

ü Tamim bin Hamad AI Thani, Emir of Qatar appointed Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani as new Prime Minister (PM) of Qatar, Doha.

7.    International Boxing tournament Strandja 2020

ü The 71^st edition of International Boxing Tournament “Strandja”2020 was held in Sofia, Bulgaria. India ranked 9^th in the medal tally with 3 medals (1 Silver, 2 Bronze). The list was topped by Ukraine with 10 medals.